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Return to Grace (episode)
Kira and Gul Dukat chase the Klingon Bird-of-Prey that destroyed a Cardassian outpost where Cardassian and Bajoran representatives were holding a conference. Summary Teaser The episode opens in the Infirmary with Dr. Bashir giving Major Kira a series of innouclations. After being wined and dined by First Minster Shakaar, Kira has agreed to attend a conference on the Cardassian outpost Korma between Cardassia and Bajor to share Bajoran intelligence about the Klingons. The innoculations are necessary because the Klingon invasion has obliterated the Cardassian health system. As Major Kira begins to feel the nauseating side effects of the vaccinations, Worf enters with a list of techonological improvements that the Federation has shared with both Bajor and the Klingon Empire that the Federation would prefer to keep out of Cardassian hands. The Major barely has time to scan the list before running from the room in search of a bathroom. In the next scene, Kira is in her quarters packing for her trip, when there is a chime at the door. Gul Dukat enters her room. He explains to Kira that he is now the captain of the Groumall, the freighter that will take her to the conference. His assignment is part of the demotion and general ostracization from Cardassian society he has suffered as a result of bringing his half-Bajoran, half-Cardassian daughter, Tora Ziyal, home with him. (DS9: Indiscretion) Despite being disowned by his mother and abandoned by his wife, he claims that he is happy that Kira prevented him from killng Ziyal. He also assures her that he will regain all he has lost. The conversation ends with Dukat offering carry her bags to the Groumall and Kira grudingly accepting. Act One Kira is sitting in her spartan quarters on the Groumall reviewing padds for the conference when Tora Ziyal arrives. The two greet each other warmly. Ziyal tells Kira about the bigotry she encountered on Cardassia and how happy she is to be with her father on the Groumall. Their conversation is cut short by a siren, which Ziyal informs Kira is a battle drill. Kira finds the idea of battle drills on a simple freighter odd and goes to the bridge. Once there, she finds Dukat dressing down his crew and bemoaning the state of his ship, given that it just took them several minutes to target and destroy a mere asteroid. Kira attempts to make a helpful suggestion, and Dukat snaps at her. Dukat apologizes and offers to make it up to Kira by having dinner with her, as is the tradition for Cardassian captains. Kira looks ready to refuse, but then looks over at Ziyal, who clearly wants these two important people in her life to get along, and agrees. At dinner, Dukat opens one of his last bottles of Bajoran spring wine and tries to engage Kira in a coversation about her romantic life, an attempt she quickly shoots down. Dukat tries to get a rise out the major by discussing Shakaar's apparently prolific sexual past. They are interrupted by another siren, which Dukat assures Kira is not a planned drill. The pair go to the bridge where they find that the outpost on Korma, along with both Bajoran and Cardassian delegations has been destroyed. They don't have to look far for a cause as a Klingon Bird-of-Prey immediately decloaks. Act Two The Klingons scan the Groumall and clearly see no threat. They begin leaving the system at one-quarter impulse and to add insult to injury, lower their shields. Dukat is predictably incensed by their taunting, and orders the Groumall to open fire on the Bird of Prey. After Kira tries unsuccessfully to disuade Dukat from attacking, she tells him to target the underside of the hull, the ship's weakest point. Despite taking her advice and firing on the Klingon's weakest spot with their shields down, the weapons of the Groumall fail to breach their hull. The Klingons bear down on the Groumall and Dukat prepares to be fired upon. In a final indignity, the Klingons simply pass the Groumall and leave the system, their honor not allowing the destruction of such a weak enemy. Now that the immediate danger has passed, Kira urges Dukat to go after the Klingons who destroyed the outpost, but to be better prepared for their next encounter. The outpost's System-5 planetary disruptors were merely disabled and not destroyed, so Kira suggests mounting them on the Groumall. Dukat thinks it impossible. Kira falls back on her Resistance training and tells Dukat he will have to improvise. If Dukat jettisons the ship's cargo (along with his own traditional share of it) then the ship should be able to house the disruptors. Dukat tells Kira he has a lot to learn from her, clearly pleased at the idea of the two of them working together. Kira is less enthusiastic. Act Three Dukat and Kira are testing the new disruptor, and while the attempt was successful, the massive weapon's recoil caused minor damage throughout the ship. Dukat again expresses his delight at their partnership. Kira accuses him of only seeking to regain his former rank and tells him the only reason she is working with him is to avenge the deaths of the Bajoran diplomats. Dukat tries once more to get a rise out of Kira by accusing Shakaar of being to simple for a woman like her, and Kira informs him that if he wants to continue working together, he should stick to business. The next scene finds Kira training Ziyal in basic Cardassian and Federation phaser rifles, anticipating being boarded by the Klingons in the next attack. Ziyal attempts to get Kira to understand her father better. Ziyal says that she has a hard time seeing a murderer. Kira says she has a hard time seeing anything but a murderer. Kira tells Ziyal that the one thing Dukat really wants from her is forgiveness and that is the one thing she can never give. They return to the weapon training. Kira and Dukat are now on the bridge, trying to discern the Klingon's next target. Dukat settles on Loval, a world on the other side of the sector from the bulk of the Cardassian fleet and one that houses a covert weapons research facility. Based on previous Klingon targets, Dukat believes Klingon intelligence is aware of that facility, making it a choice target. Dukat and Kira plan to use a false dilithium signature to lure the Klingons to them. Dukat makes another unsuccessful pass at Kira and then orders his helmsman, Damar, to set course for Loval. The Groumall arrives before the Klingons at Loval and prepares their decoy. While waiting for the Klingons to arrive, Dukat ponders aloud about what he will do when he regains his rank. The current focus of his attention is a Gul Marratt, a up and coming officer he believes is having an affair with his wife. Dukat plans to post him to the icy embassy on Breen. His daydreaming is interrupted the arrival of the Klingons. Act Four The Klingons have taken the bait and locked their disruptors on the Groumall. The Klingons demand their surrender. The Klingons lock their tractor beam and Dukat orders Kira to fire the new weapon. The blast breached the Bird of Prey's hull and disabled their engines, but the Klingons still managed to return fire, severely damaging the Groumall. Realizing that one more hit will destroy them, Dukat turns to Kira to improvise. Kira and Dukat beam onto the Klingon ship and after defeating two officers, Kira manages to use the Klingon's transporters to beam the entire crew of the Groumall to the Bird of Prey and vice versa. Kira enjoys the idea of the Klingon captain having to explain what happened to his superiors. Dukat tells her he won't get the oppurtunity and fires on the Groumall, killing its new Klingon crew. After securing the ship, Kira finds a list of the location and targeting priorities for all Klingon ships in Cardassian space. Armed with this stunning military victory and this intelligence boon, Dukat contacts his government fully expecting to be restored to his former position. Dukat returns later from his communication, and tells Kira that despite the intelligence find, the Detapa Council is still looking for a diplomatic solution with the Klingons, but has recalled Dukat to his position as Military Advisor. Dukat thinks there is little value to being the military advisor to a people who will not fight. He thinks his people are paralyzed and defeated, afraid to risk what little they have by fighting the Klingons. Dukat decides that if no one else will fight the Klingons, he will alone. Act Five Kira is stunned at what Dukat is proposing and tells him that, unlike her people's fight against the Cardassians, he will be alone in his fight. Dukat responds by asking Kira to join him. He needs her help and if Cardassia falls to the Klingons, Bajor will be the next target. Dukat tries to convince her that being a resistance fighter is what she was meant to do. Later, in a corridor, Ziyal approaches Kira with a d'k tahg and asks to demonstrate a knife trick that Damar showed her. Kira easily deflects the attack, and tells her that the best way to survive a knife fight is to never get in one. Ziyal says she'll need help to fight the Cardassians. Kira decides there is another way she can help. Kira, back on the bridge, has declined Dukat's offer, but does have another proposal. She tells Dukat about the intense emotional and psychological stress of the live he is now choosing and suggests that he needs to keep Ziyal from that life. Kira offers to watch over Ziyal on Deep Space Nine. When Dukat asks her why she is doing this, she responds that Ziyal reminds her a lot of herself and she doesn't want Ziyal to go through what she did. Now back at Deep Space Nine, Dukat has agreed to Kira's proposal and takes great delight that their lives are so intertwined. The episode ends with Kira introducing Ziyal to Odo on the Promenade and promising to tell him the story of Gul Dukat's daughter later. Memorable Quotes "What Cardassians? Don't you see, Major? They're paralyzed. They're beaten and defeated. ''I am the only Cardassian left, and if no one else will stand against the Klingons, I will." : - '''Dukat' Background Information *Casey Biggs (Damar) makes his first appearance in this episode. Links and References Guest Stars * Marc Alaimo as Dukat * Cyia Batten as Tora Ziyal * Casey Biggs as Damar Co-Star * John Kenton Shull as K'Temang References Amleth system; Amleth Prime; Bajorans; Bajoran rifle; Cardassian; Chairman; Computer log; Damar; Detapa Council; Dopa system; Dukat; Dukat's Bird-of-Prey; dilithium crystals; emission nebula; Groumall; Gul Marratt; Klingon bird-of-prey; Kolaish spice oil; Korma; Korma Conference; K'Temang; Loval; Lovok system; moon; military advisor; phaser rifle; Rakal; status report; subspace relay station; subspace transceiver array; System-5 planetary disruptor; Tora Ziyal; tractor beam; transporter codes; spring wine; Vor'cha class Category:DS9 episodes de:Zu neuer Würde nl:Return to Grace